A Scottish whisky distillery is continuing its 200th birthday celebrations with the launch of its ‘oldest whisky to date’.
In an “interpretation of time travel through whisky mastery”, The Macallan has released a new dual-chamber whisky bottle featuring two single malts spanning generations.
In the outer chamber of the TIME: SPACE edition is a 1940 vintage from two hand-selected casks, a first-fill American Oak Butt and second-fill European Oak Butt, both seasoned with sherry in Jerez de la Frontera and matured in Speyside, Scotland.
Bottled at 43.6% ABV, an 84-year maturation has produced “rich natural colour, exceptional depth and richness and full, long-lasting flavour” that is unique to this rare, aged single malt Scotch whisky.
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As a counterpart, the single malt housed in the central chamber is a 2018 vintage, marking a significant milestone as the first-ever whisky from The Macallan’s new distillery.
This is said to be a nod to the future of the brand and its “commitment to excellence in its whiskies”.
Alternate layers of American oak and European oak have been used to craft a display sculpture for the bottle, in an homage to the brand’s commitment to sherry-seasoned oak casks.
Kirsteen Campbell, master whisky maker, The Macallan, said: “It was an absolute privilege to be able to reach back in time and select stock from the 1940's to honour and celebrate our 200-year anniversary.
“As a Whisky Mastery Team, our roles are unique in the sense that we get to time travel – selecting whisky from the past crafted by our predecessors, whilst simultaneously laying down casks for future generations of whisky makers and consumers.
“To nose, taste and select whisky created over eight decades ago is an exceptionally rare occasion in the life of a whisky maker and one which I will treasure.”
A second release in the TIME: SPACE Collection from The Macallan is the TIME: SPACE Mastery edition.
This one-of-a-kind whisky features 14 cask types, creating layers of complexity with an “incredible depth of aroma, texture and flavour”.
A circular bottle represents the distillery’s ongoing journey from the past to the future, with an elaborate presentation case adorned with 200 spikes, one for each year of The Macallan.
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Euan Kennedy, lead whisky maker, said: “Inspired by past masters, we have explored the full extent of our warehouses to capture the complex influences of cask seasoning, oak origin, cask size and distillery character in one incredibly special bottle of whisky, with the elegance provided by European Oak sitting at its heart.”
TIME: SPACE is available to purchase through invitation only from The Macallan, with price available upon application.
TIME: SPACE Mastery will be available to purchase from The Macallan, subject to availability and location, as well as via The Macallan Society Ballot in the UK and Europe.
Jaume Ferras, creative director at The Macallan, said: “The introduction of TIME: SPACE collection is an incredible way to pay respect to our 200th anniversary by celebrating the significance of those who have come before us, yet it is also a symbol of anticipation of what is to come, as we build upon our heritage and look to times ahead.”
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